


Entwined Faults

by Katrartt



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Alya Césaire - Freeform, Angst, Canon Compliant, Emilie Agreste - Freeform, F/M, Gabriel Agreste - Freeform, Hawkmoth, LadyNoir - Freeform, Ladybug - Freeform, ML, Marichat, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, adrien agreste - Freeform, ladrien, love square, marichat heavy, marinette dupain cheng - Freeform, miraculous - Freeform, miraculous love square, ml au, nino lahiffe - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-08-26 22:28:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16690105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katrartt/pseuds/Katrartt
Summary: After an akuma attack ends in Hawkmoth's identity revealed, Chat's life is heavily changed, and so is everyone else's.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, I had so much fun and pain writing this! I really hope you guys like it. And for those of you who are wondering: I'll include details of how Hawkmoth's identity was revealed in later chapters. For now, it's not important to the story. Sorry for typos ahead! Enjooyyyyy!!!!

_Chat_

"Chat Noir! Hey!" Ladybug called after him. "Hey, hey! Jesus Christ, Chat,  _hey_!"

Chat just kept running. He couldn't hear her, he couldn't hear or feel anything. He just ran, jumped, pole-vaulted, whatever he could do to get across those rooftops to get away from that akuma. To get away from that awful place, that cursed scene, that cursed person.

He didn't know where he was going. He just needed to get  _away_. Away from the akuma, away from  _Hawkmoth_ , away from himself, everything. He didn't know what it meant, what kind of a person any of it made him at this point.

Chat tripped and yelped as he nearly fell from the roof of the building he was about to jump to another on. Catching himself before he did, he starting realizing how deep and frantic his breaths were, not just from running. Chat also realized that tears streaked his face.

He simply let his legs collapse, and shift to hang off the building, gaze pointed down at the ground. Watching it intensely. Focusing on the ground. Only the ground.

He didn't want to focus on anything else.

Nothing else. Not the moment. Not Ladybug. Certainly not.... _him_.

Just his feet. His dangling feet. And that cobbled ground within an alleyway. A dumpster was in the alleyway, a little bit of litter from passing people, a few flattened pieces of cardboard and a half-destroyed sleeping bag from a poor soul that left long ago. Old remnants of white graffiti stained a small portion of the alleyway's wall. He couldn't read what it said, not from this angle, not from this height.

Not when he was so far from the ground. So far from that ground. The ground that would kill him if he had fallen. If he decided to jump. To simply give his hands a little push from off the side, let his legs slide. Maybe death would be welcoming. It'd be better than this reality-

A red, black-spotted hand rested on Chat's shoulder, tearing him from his spiraling thoughts. He jolted, grabbing it and locking it in a tight, bruising hold.

This earned him a high pitched squeal, and a tugging grip.

"Chat! It's me!" Ladybug yelped, ceasing her tugs to calm him down.

Suddenly realizing what he was doing, Chat let the hand go, and slowly looked to the face of the girl clad in a superhero suit, now mirroring his position on the edge. He met Ladybug's gaze with those blessed bluebell eyes, those darling, long black lashes..

And that red and black mask. The mask that hid her identity, her secrets. Maybe it really would change everything if he knew the Ladybug under it...

Chat watched Ladybug's wondering face with wide eyes. He searched them for answers, as if she could provide him with any. She didn't know, though. She didn't realize.

His face tensed up as tears blurred and burned his eyes...before Chat couldn't hold them back any longer. His shoulder's fell with his pooling tears, as he retreated into Ladybug's shoulder. She didn't even flinch, just wrapped her arms around Chat and let him sob.

"Chaton..." She whispered, stroking his hair in comfort. "Chat, what is this? Please, kitty, what  _happened_?"

He didn't want to answer. He didn't want to make it real with the words, but...she had to know. She was the only one he could really tell, Chat guessed. It barely even registered that he was in her arms.

It only seemed that everything he thought he knew was wrong. Or, at least, most of what he knew. Which was terrifying, and brought a whole new wave of hysterical sobs into Ladybug's shoulder.

"Shh...Kitty..." Ladybug muttered, running her fingers through his hair still. "It's okay..it's okay, everything's okay-

"No," he sobbed into her chest. "No, no, no its not, fuck...no....Ladybug..." Again, his voice broke. He couldn't keep it steady. What did it mean? This meant so much...

Ladybug let out a soft breath and finally lifted Chat's head to meet his tear filled gaze. Her gaze was full for worry, full of concern. True concern. Ladybug cared about him, Chat realized. Really cared. She cared, and she was finally seeing his devastations flow out. This meant so much to her, just as it did for him.

But it was different. So different between them.

"Hawkmoth is Gabriel Agreste," he whispered.

Four words. For simple words. That changed everything he knew.

What was he supposed to do? Keep fighting? This was his  _father_. Chat didn't want to fight Hawkmoth anymore. But then, there came in the motive of why, of  _why_  Hawkmoth wanted their miraculous. Gabriel was-

"-at? Chat!" Ladybug's voice interrupted his thoughts again. Chat squeezed his eyes and willed his tears to slow down. He gulped and nodded to her, signaling that she should speak. He held her hands with an iron grip as they grasped his head, thumbs stroking his hair. "Chaton, are you okay? I understand that this is shocking- I'm shocked too -but...what the hell happened out there? I had to finish the akuma on my own and now you're...Chat I've never seen you like this! Did Gabriel do something to you?"

Chat swallowed again, trying to regain some form of control over himself. He only lowered his head to rest in Ladybug's lap, wrapping his arms around her waist, crying into her stomach.

Chat realized he was trembling. And he couldn't stop.

"It ch-changes everything," He said, turning over onto his back, now looking up at Ladybug's face. He sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back if his wrist. "Everything, Ladybug. Everything for me."

Ladybug rested one hand to steady herself next to Chat and let the other stroke his hair. "Chaton, what do you mean?"

Chat let out a shaky breath, tightening his arms already wrapped around himself. "I-I don't...it means that I can't keep doing this." He dug his canines into his lip, trying to keep his emotions steady. Ladybug let him sort through his thoughts.

"He's my father." The words came out as a weak breath. It didn't feel good to let them out, it only made him feel more tense. A sinking, disturbed feeling started gnawing at him in the pit of his stomach.

Ladybug's hand stopped stroking. Her eyes clouded and up and her face became unreadable. Was that disappointment? Disaproval? Concern?

Chat sucked in a breath, hoping that it was just concern.

"Adrien." Was all Ladybug uttered.

Chat just frowned at her, turning his head to face to city, and tensing up his shoulders even more than he thought possible. He just wanted to curl up in a ball of his own darkness and security. The way she uttered his true name didn't even phase Chat. He didn't care about his identity. Not anymore. He felt like that burden should be a lifted weight, now that he was free of that lock and chain on his relationship with his lady. But in reality, it didn't matter at all to him. Not with the heaviness of Gabriel Agreste.

"Fuck Adrien Agreste," Chat weakly muttered. He felt hot tears sting the back of his eyes again. He couldn't let them fall, though.

Ladybug sighed and grabbed Chat's chin to turn his head towards her again. Meeting her gaze, he now clearly saw what lay behind it.

Affection. Admiration, affection, concern, care, warm emotions that Chat wished he was filled with. Except that those didn't matter either. They only made it worse, because he only felt empty.

And then Ladybug narrowed her eyes, squinting as if in restraint, and her face crumpled into sadness. Her hand rested to stroke his hair again. "I'm so sorry, Chaton." Her eyes were glassy. So she knew Gabriel, and she knew Adrien. _Really_ knew Adrien, or at least, how awful this really was for him.

At least they knew each other as civilians.

Chat's own face fell under the sight of Ladybug's. His vision blurred, but he wouldn't let the tears fall. His breathing was still unsteady, but he could control it enough. He just needed to work through this.

"Ladybug, what can I do? How can I keep doing this?" Chat whispered. Ladybug sighed again and lowered her lips to his forehead.

"My Chaton...my little sunshine...I don't know. I don't know..."

Chat squeezed his eyes shut, a sound between a sob and a cry out escaping his chest. He didn't want to work through this. She didn't, either, or at least, didn't know how.

"Ladybug, w-we..what do I do? He's murdered people, terrorized the city of Paris! Physically and mentally broken people! Has knowingly put me in complete danger! Put you in danger! Been willing, to..to.." Chat trailed off into sobs. His father was horrible person. His father had done these things...for the miraculous.

"I know, I know," Ladybug muttered, looking down at Chat still. He took a deep breath, lifting a hand to her cheek. He widened his eyes to just watch her. To watch her watch him. He knew deep down why Gabriel wanted the miraculous. Gabriel may have been a cold man, but there was no one he loved more than...

A single tear fall from his eye now.

"I can't blame him."

-

_Ladybug_

Ladybug sucked in a breath at Chat’s confession. So many words. So little words. In only a few sentences, everything  _she_  knew was discarded. Changed.

Watching Chat’s beautiful, bright, shining green eyes obscure into dark, tear-filled ones of grief was a feat to go through in itself, to watch her Chaton be broken in his own thoughts. But now she knew why.

Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste.

And his  _father_ , Gabriel Agreste, was, in fact, Hawkmoth.

Gabriel being Hawkmoth did not change her motive. She did not care for him. His designs may be pretty, but he was a cold man who, now she knew, had murdered and terrorized people of Paris.

But it was so much deeper than that with Chat’s confession. Adrien’s life was turned upside down, and, coincidentally, so was Chat’s.

She loved her Chaton, seeing this broken part of him finally alerted her of how much more he meant to her, but Ladybug could only provide him with sweet kisses and comforts. Knowing he was Adrien Agreste, a boy who’d she’d been pining over for at least two years, seemed to not matter anymore, though. Not to him, at least, so it wouldn’t to her.

But Chat “couldn’t blame” his father.

“W-what?” Was all Ladybug could manage. She wanted to watch his eyes, to look right at him when he told her what this meant. Where he would go. She let her hands continue to run through his hair- his beautiful, soft, perfect, yellow hair- and almost didn’t want him to explain. Seeing the glaze over his eyes, she knew he was devastated, and in so many more ways than just one.

Chat flicked his gaze to her hair, her face, her body, any part of her but her eyes as he took a deep breath. “Ladybug…as I said, he terrorized and hurt so many people, he hurt  _me_ , and he..he hurt  _you_ , but..I would go through it all again. I would go through all of that a thousand times over for what he wants.”

Ladybug shook her head, “Chat, I don’t understand-”

“He’s doing it for my mother, Lady,” he said. Ladybug shook her head still, in small, slow movements. His mother. For his mother… “Do you know, Ladybug? She’s been missing for four years now. She’s probably…she’s  _dead_ , Ladybug. She’s fucking dead, and there hasn’t been an hour if my life in which she has not crossed my mind. I loved my mother. And so did my father. He may be a cold person, may have done despicable things, but…he wasn’t that way until she was gone. He doesn’t want to rule the world, rule Paris. And I doubt his goal is cause harm. He could easily gain power if he wanted to, he’s a powerful man…but there’s nothing more he wants, nothing more he  _loved_  other than my mother. He probably loved her more than he did me, actually. He still does. And I….I would go through everything that I have a thousand, a million, as many times over as I have to, to see her again. The miraculous, together…you know what they do. We know that with that kind of ultimate power, my lady…”

Ladybug shut her eyes, letting he shoulders slump. “…you could bring her back.” Opening her eyes to watch Chat again, she saw him looking at her. He nodded, his face solemn. She shook her head, her hands coming hold Chat’s head and arms now.

“Chaton, you can’t,” She said. “We…you can’t. You know that. It could go completely wrong. That kind of power can be manipulated further, it could break the natural order of everything, Chat. Master Fu warned us, the reason we can’t use them like that is because-”

“I know that!” Chat snapped. He lifted his torso, running a hand through his hair. Looking back at Ladybug, he shook his head, softening his face. “Ladybug, I know the risks..and I’m willing to take them. Please, my Lady, you  _know_  that I would never abuse the power. I just…I never thought about this, okay? But I see now, Ladybug, what I could do, even just to talk to her one more time-”

“Chat-”

“-You don’t understand, Ladybug, I-I need to see her again.” Standing up, Chat pulled out his baton to juggle it from hand to hand. “Ladybug…” Lifting his head up, Chat let his gaze wander to Ladybug’s earlobes…her earrings. “You know what I have to ask.”

No. Standing up to meet Chat, Ladybug shook her head once. She grabbed Chat’s hand, pausing his fidgeting with his baton. She held his hand with a gentle grip, a soft touch.

“Chat, you can’t…don’t do this. Please,” She begged. She looked back up at him, trying let him see her desperation, her love for him. She really loved him, and Ladybug didn’t want Chat to destroy himself over this. She understood, she really did, but the fabric of time and space could collapse. Especially with something such as bringing someone back to life, if Emilie Agreste was truly dead, as presumed.

Chat looked desperately down at their joined hands. He seemed almost pained at what he was doing. “My Lady, I’m sorry..” he choked out. Ladybug tightened her grip on his hand, and used her other to lift his face back to her eyes.

“My Chaton,” She said, “If you love me, please, don’t do this.”

Something in Chat snapped at her words. She saw the last bit of light he had in his eyes wink out. Sneering, he flicked his wrist to grasp hers, his hand back into it’s iron grip. Ladybug gasped, and winced at the pressure in her wrist.

He grabbed her other wrist, and let his face grow close to hers. “You  _bitch_.”

She winced again, her breath starting to grow shaky. He only widened his sneer, let his ears fall back even further than they already were in disdain.

“How  _dare_  you say that to me?” He growled. Tears pooled out of his own eyes as he screamed at Ladybug. “How dare you acknowledge something that you have shit on, something that you have pained me with, for  _years_? How dare you try to manipulate me with something as  _feeble_  and  _meaningless_  to  _you_  as my affections? I have loved you, and you have treated me like  _shit_  for it. How dare you try to use something so precious? I want  _my mother_  back and you don’t care. You  _never_  cared. You never  _will_  care. I see that now, and I see that no one else cares either. I understand my father, I really do. I see now that I understand him a hell of a lot more than I ever did you, and certainly more you ever did  _me_.” Chat threw Ladybug’s wrist’s down, the impact throwing her to the ground under her. She blew the hair out her eyes, watching Chat as his own eyes widened.

He stepped back, as if realizing what he had done, his own breaths growing ragged. And then he narrowed his eyes again, obviously trying to cover up his building shame. “I-I’ll get your mi-miraculous another day!” He said. He wrapped his arms around himself, still taking steps back. “I just- I have to-” -stumbling over his words, Chat stumbled over his steps backwards as well. A cry escaped his chest as he nearly stumbled off again at the edge.

“I’m so sorry,” Ladybug heard him whisper as he stood and ran away.

Towards the Agreste house.

Towards his father.

Towards the possibility of getting his mother back.

_Away from Ladybug._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is confused, no one knows anything, and emotions are intense after the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this chapter was really hard to write because I barely outlined it and I'm so flexible with this plot right now and keeping these characters in character with such a different situation was definitely a fun challenge. I wrote so many different drafts that all ended in so many directions...but with the end result, I hope you enjoy!

Shakily letting his feet drop to the ground, Adrien let his transformation fall.  
  
He could barely hold back his tears during the trek back to his room, the only place of solitude he could think of right now. He couldn't hold them back, though, when he stepped into the dark place. He couldn't hold back the sobs as he leaned against his window frame.  
  
_What have I done?_ Adrien thought, heaving his sobs still, _What had his father done? What had they_ all _done?_  
  
He felt Plagg rest on his shoulder, silently letting Adrien cry.  
  
Plagg used to do that a lot.  
  
This scene seemed so familiar.  
  
No matter how many nights Adrien used to cry, though, none of those nights seemed as painful as this one. And for some reason, Adrien expected Plagg to do something different.  
  
Maybe Plagg showing something more than the silent comfort of just being there would've made it better. Thousands of years of existence, and Plagg had nothing to say.  
  
On those early days with Plagg, when Adrien still cried often, he used to appreciate the silence. But it just felt like Plagg was ignoring the problem here.  
  
Adrien swiped at his eyes with the back of his wrist, sniffling. He drew his legs even closer to his body, burying his face into his knees.  
  
He felt Plagg rise to rest in his hair.  
  
"She'll have brusies on her wrists in the morning."  
  
Adrien held his breath at the sudden voice above him, tensing his shoulders. He left...bruises? Adrien squeezed his eyes tighter, letting out a shaky breath.  
  
"But she won't blame you."  
  
Adrien tried to breathe in....he ended up choking. Choking and coughing and sobbing in his own fit of self-deprication.  
  
He never deserved Ladybug. Never. And now, just because he was upset, he _hurt_ her. Even if she was hurting him in a different way, he _never_ wanted to bring her harm. Of any sort.  
  
He loved her. He loved with everything he had, and just because she used that, he threw it all away in that moment. He called her a _bitch_. How dare _he_?  
  
Adrien sighed and lifted his head up to rest his nose on his knees.  
  
"Plagg, I...I-I can't take that b-back," He whispered, watching the floor in front of him, "What have I done? _What have I done_? I-I'm just- I d-didn't-  
  
Plagg shot up into the air and in front of Adrien's face.  
  
"Adrien, you can absolutely take it back. That was a poor choice of words on her part, and a knee-jerk, emotion-filled reaction on yours-"  
  
"But what if I meant it?"

The question silenced the Kwami. It brought a burning behind Adrien's eyes again, and circled around his thoughts. What if he meant it? Did he really mean it? All of it? Every last word of what he said to her? What kind of a man did that make him? No...no...he didn't want to hurt Ladybug. Surely, she didn't mean to hurt him...right?  
  
Doubt settled into a deep pit inside him. No one else had ever _really_ cared about him. He was sincere about that. Adrien was sure that Ladybug was a close as he got to someone actually _caring_ about him, but even that was fragile and meaningless, as tonight had proven.  
  
His school friends surely only thought of him as just that. A school friend. He had Natalie and Gorilla, but that was more of their job...and Gabriel didn't count.

Gabriel had put him in serious danger, not only as Chat Noir but _knowingly_ as Adrien, so clearly, he did not care for him much at all. Gabriel had murdered citizens, been almost entirely absent in Adrin's recent life, put his friends in danger, terrorized all of Paris, etcetera...  
  
Even as Adrien ran through all of Gabriel's faults for the thousandth time tonight, he still struggled to truly blame his father. If he meant anything at all, it was _that_ he meant most.  
  
They both needed Emilie back. Their lives had changed for the worst when she had dissapeered, most light draining from their lives. It only made sense that everything would be over, would be _better_ with her back again.  
  
And the only option to do that was for the miraculous to be put back together.  
  
Plagg had stayed silent throughout Adrien's thought process. Finally lifting his head, propping his arm on his knee, Adrien let out a long breath. Tears didn't come. Not now. Keeping his eyes unfocused, Adrien stared at the wall, at whatever was on the wall, whatever the colors were on the wall. He was glad it was dark. He couldn't see anything very clearly.  
  
"It didn't have to happen like that, you know."  
  
Adrien didn't stir as Plagg's voice intruded his blank thoughts again. It seemed so loud, now, when Adrien made sure to keep absolutely still. When he tried so hard to keep any thought at bay.  
  
"Adrien."  
  
Like a TV, stuck on without a channel.  
  
" _Adrien_."  
  
White static. He wanted to turn his own flat-screen on to that.  
  
"Adrien, _look at me_ ," Plagg demanded. Adrien squeezed his eyes shut as the fragile screen against his thoughts tore apart with the Kwami's familiar voice. Slowly turning his head, Adrien opened narrowed, glassy eyes.  
  
He was defeated. Utterly defeated.  
  
Plagg sighed, lowering himself onto Adrien's propped up knee. He made sure to keep Adrien's gaze through all of his movements.  
  
"You're not okay." It wasn't a question. Adrien shook his head anyway. "This situation isn't easy for you." Again, he shook his head slowly.  "But...how do you think it affects everyone else?"  
  
Adrien's frowned deepened as he turned his gaze towards the ground next him. Pursing his lips, Adrien considered Plagg's words. What did everyone else matter right now? How did they matter?  It was just Gabriel and Adrien, and his mother. This was just a typical dysfunctional-family-problem, Adrien mused. Just something Adrien needed to work out in himself..but what _would_  he tell his father?  
  
"Fuck anyone else," Adrien said.  
  
"What about Ladybug?" Plagg countered. Adrien slowly looked back to Plagg. Sneering again, he wanted to growl. He wanted to scream. At Plagg, at his father, at himself, at Ladybug. Ladybug especially, at the moment.  
  
"She used ' _my love_.' She used that, Plagg. That was the first thing she chose, without a thought. She doesn't care. She didn't even think about what those words meant! She acted like she cared, she got all close and nice to me, when I started _crying_ for christ's sake-"  
  
"Adrien-"  
  
"No, Plagg," Adrien snapped, " _No_! You were there. You know exactly what she did to me, and she didn't even think about it! Ladybug doesn't care. She never did. I bet she doesn't even care about the miraculous, I bet- I-I bet..." Adrien trailed off, heaving breaths in and out of his lungs, trying to regain some control. His eyes stung again, his fists dug into the plush carpet he sat on. Plagg now hovered in front of Adrien, an unusually sad look in the creature's eyes.  
  
"Kid...yeah, that was a hell of a poor choice of words on her part, but you have to understand, the miraculous-"  
  
"'C-could destroy and tear apart the universe as we k-know it,'" Adrien finished. He shook his head, deciding to stand up. "Fuck that, Plagg. Damn it to hell. I-I give less than two shits about whatever the hell could happen..I just- I just want this end."  
  
Adrien fiddled with his ring, frowning at it. " _Father_ won't stop until he gets what he wants. There's no point in _fighting it_. And as I said to Ladybug, I-I can't blame him!" Adrien stepped towards his door. He'd go to Gabriel. He'd go to his _father_. He could help. Gabriel knew how Adrien felt. Gabriel and him could just get Emilie back and then it would be okay. It would end.  
  
" _Kid_ -"  
  
"I'm _getting_ my mother back! _She'll_ be the only good thing that'll come out of this damned place, Plagg. The reward outweighs the risks, goddamnit, and it'll be okay! Everything will change, for the better! Because _the only truly good person who really cared about me will come back!_ " Adrien roared. Seething. He was seething. This Kwami clearly wouldn't willingly help him, but that was fine. His father managed it just fine. So Adrien did what he had never even _considered_ doing before.  
  
He commanded Plagg. He'd decided he wouldn't be so perfect anymore.

Adrien widened his sneer. " _You don't say a word unless deemed neccessary_. You are my kwami, and that is _it_. Go find your own fucking place to be right now."  
  
With his ears flat against his head, Plagg reluctantly flew away, deciding to sleep with the books tonight. Silence filled the room after him.  
  
Adrien straightened, ignoring the immediate shame and the awful, sinking feeling inside him. Turning towards the windows, he contemplated other things.  
  
He knew what he had to do, and what he _wouldn't_ do. He'd just figured out how to do it when he got there.  
  
He didn't have to fight back tears again.  
  
Never once had Adrien ever felt so empty, than at that moment.

-

Inspecting the dark purple markings of Chat's fingers on her wrists for a final time before she had to leave for school, Marinette sighed.  
  
"Mari, I told you to stop that," Tikki demanded. "Blaming yourself doesn't help anything."  
  
Marinette threw down her hands to her sides, clenching her fists and digging her nails into her palms. Forcing her gaze to meet Tikki's, Marinette leaned against her desk before crossing her arms.  
  
"Well, I don't know what else to do," Marinette explained. "I deserve the blame here, this is _my_ fault. If I hadn't gone for what hurt Chat the most, _this_ -" -Marinette lifted her crossed arms to emphasize her bruises- "-would never have occured." She let her arms rest back against her chest.  
  
Tikki only shook her head, "Marinette, he was put in a bad spot. Both as Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste. That's not your fault."  
  
"No, Tikki, he was right," Marinette started, "I'm a _bitch_. He may have been put in a bad spot but I'm the one who pushed it. I'm the one who really hurt him. I could've handled that much differently."  
  
"Adrien isn't a situation to be handled, Marinette. He's a very complex human thrown into many different complex problems," Tikki countered. Marinette scoffed.  
  
"Don't you think I know that? Tikki, I  _care_ about him! Look, I can't just sit here and wait for-"  
  
"No," Tikki interrupted, "that is exactly what you are going to do. You can and you _will_ do that exact thing. It's the _only_ real option you have, and you know that. It's bigger than you. This whole thing is bigger than you. You know that Adrien deserves a chance to sort this out. That the situation isn't _yours_ to handle. It's his, and solely his until _he_ brings others into it."  
  
Marinette narrowed her eyes but nodded once, flicking her gaze to the ground. She bit the inside of her cheek, contemplating. Sighing again, Marinette only patted her purse for Tikki to hide in it and rolled down her long sleeves to cover her arms.  
  
"Fine," was all Marinette muttered as she shut her purse when Tikki flew inside and she instinctively grabbed her backpack. Fine. It was fine. It was going to be fine. Her chaton, the hurt, loved boy, would be fine.  
  
Hopefully.

-

Marinette didn't know what she was expecting, but she didn't expect everything to seem completely fine when she stepped into the school commons.  
  
Maybe there was an Akuma attack she didn't hear about. Maybe _Hawkmoth and Chat Noir ambushed the city through the night!_ Possibly,  _Chat Noir used cataclysm on himself!_  
  
Marinette shook those thoughts away. She especially didn't like that last one that came to her mind.  
  
Finding Alya and Nino, Marinette lifted her head high and immediately headed in their direction. Waving her hand in an attempt to cover up any discontent her face showed.  
  
The red-headed noticed her right away. "Sup, girl," Alya said in greeting. Marinette stepped to her loyal friend, trying to plaster on a smile.  
  
"Morning, Alya," Marinette said. "Morning Nino." Flicking her gaze back between the two, her mind still buzzed. Alya and Nino were already talking, and she couldn't hear any of it. Where was Adrien? Surely, he wouldn't come to school today. What did he tell Gabriel-  
  
"-Marinette! Mari!" Alya's voice interrupted her thoughts. Alya snapped in Marinette's face, emphasizing her need for Marinette to pay attention.  
  
"Hm? What?" Marinette said. Alya sighed and rested her hands on her hips.  
  
"Nevermind, it's not important. What's on your mind though? You are way more out of it than usual."  
  
Marinette bit the inside of her cheek, shaking her head. "It's nothing, Alya. I promise." Marinette bore her eyes into Alya's, trying to get Alya to drop it.  
  
Thankfully, Alya did, and turned back to Nino. At least for now, while they were still in school, in front of everyone.  
  
"Oh, Marinette look behind you, I'm sure that'll make it better." Alya winked and pointed her chin to the open doors of the Commons. In which, did not make it better.  
  
It made everything seem infinitely worse.  
  
Marinette didn't even try to hide her sigh of dread as Adrien stepped out of his limo.  
  
She wasn't prepared for this, Marinette realized. She was on guard, ready to turn into Ladybug, ready to spring into _action_.  
  
But she was not ready for Adrien Agreste to be at school. She was not prepared for him to seem completely normal....other than the obviously heavy motions of his limbs, his oddly blank face. It was almost solumn.  
  
But no one else would've really noticed. _Thankfully,_  no one else really noticed. Marinette knew she was the only one creepy enough at school to watch him as closely as she did.  
  
How had she not known he was Chat?  
  
Moreover, how was she supposed to deal with this?  
  
_Relax, Mari,_  she thought to herself, _he doesn't know that you're Ladybug. You have a chance to deal with this in a completely different way, here._  
  
"-Marinette! Jesus!" Alya nudged Marinette in the side, earning a yelp from the latter. In an almost angry sounding whisper, Alya exclaimed, "Mari! What the hell was that! You took one look at him and actually sighed! And groaned! And _f_ _rowned_! You are in visible discontent! Of _A_ _drien fucking Agreste_."  
  
Marinette straightened, again not even attempting to hide her frown. "Alya-"  
  
"Hey, Bro!" Nino exclaimed, holding his hand out for one of their signature hand-shake-bro-hugs. Marinette snapped her attention to Adrien. Who was now right next to her.  
  
And now that she was actually next to him, looking at him, she noticed how his eyes were red-rimmed. They were bloodshot. She saw the haphazardly applied makeup that tried to cover up bags, cover up a puffy tear-stained face. It tried to cover up all of last night.  
  
And judging by the way it was applied, Marinette assumed it wasn't because he cared all that much. He clearly didn't really try.  
  
He looked like absolute shit.  
  
She watched his dark eyes, empty pits that now looked almost gray compared to their usual bright green. She watched as they squinted and seemed to almost be in pain as Nino and him initiated their usual morning routine.  
  
Marinette pursed her lips, trying to form some form of a coherent thought. There were so many running through her head. He looked like such a sad kitten..he seemed So in pain...it hurt to watch...her Kitty, her _Chaton_  was Adrien Agreste...and he was so, so hurt-  
  
An elbow jabbed in her side. Glancing at Alya, Marinette suppressed a yelp. _What_? she mouthed.  
  
_'Stop frowning at him.'_  
  
_'I wasn't frowning!'_  
  
_'You were absolutely-'_  
  
"Uh, Alya, Marinette," Nino said, "sorry to interrupt whatever's going on here, but we gotta get to class."  
  
Marinette and Alya snapped their attention to the the boys, Nino seeming bored while Adrien...he watched the ground. His eyes flicked up to theirs quickly before his attention turned back to the painted lines of the commons' floor.  
  
Alya nodded and laughed it off. "Oh, your right! Silly us. I hope you guys get to class okay!" Grabbing Marinette's arm, Alya aggressively started pulled her to their first class. Luckily for Alya, it seemed, the class Nino and Adrien weren't in.  
  
Alya pulled Marinette into the back row of seat, shoving herself close to Marinette. It was too fast. Too fast. _What would she ask, oh god-_  
  
"Marinette!" Alya hissed, "Did you see Adrien's _face_? And you're _frowning_  at him! What the _hell_?"  
  
Marinette slowly blinked, processing the words. Sleep-deprivation seemed to be catching up now... _or maybe Alya just sucked all the life out of me,_  Marinette thought. She sighed, straightening herself next to her friend.  
  
"Alya, I swear, it's _nothing_ " Marinette whispered. Alya scoffed. _Crap_. Okay, so she needed a story that was juicy enough for Alya to be satisfied, yet believable enough to be, well, believable. _Okay, Marinette, something that could involve both you and Adrien.._ "uh..I'm serious! Adrien...uh...needed help with homework last night and he called me since Nino is terrible with Calculous and we worked on it *all night* and it was really hard and confusing and we talked a bunch so he kept me up _all night_ so I was, uh, tired this morning, mad- not really mad, per say, so we're both jusy really tired and well-"  
  
Alya's eyes widened as she gasped, " _What?_ "  
  
The incoming class turned their heads to Alya. Giving them her winning smile, Alya shrugged and quickly turned back to Marinette, pulling her in close for a whisper.  
  
"What? Marinette that's amazing! He called _you,_  and wanted to talk to _you_! He kept you up _all night_! I'd say that's not just a calculus homework problem- oh! you've been raving about every interaction for years, Marinette, why stop now? Tell me all the details, girl, what did you two talk about-" Alya spilled with questions about it before the teacher walked in, shooshing the class. Nearly collapsing onto the desk with relief, Marinette stifled a groan. She could deal with schoolwork for now. She'd ignore every other problem hanging over head.  
  
-  
  
The rest of the next two periods were surprisingly easy. Going through the motions, keeping Alya at bay with random lies Marinette came up with to satisfy her was easy at this point. Luckily, she didn't have any classes with Adrien today, which meant one less mess to deal with and the constant drag of the overhead problem that was associated _with_ Adrien.  
  
Marinette didn't know how to feel about her reaction to an Adrien-free day. She didn't know what kind of person it made her, and she didnt want to. Maybe it was selfish, but it would make it that much harder to watch his blank face just sit and pretend everything was fine. To very obviously be in pain and yet be so blank, so emotionless.  
  
Looking at the clock and noticing that the bell would ring in a few minutes, Marinette began packing her backpack up. She would go to lunch. She would get through social interactions, everything after that, and then finally go home to think things over. Finally let down the brick wall she had put up this morning, against those thoughts.  
  
Alya nudged Marinette in the side. "Mari, we still have a few minutes, help me finish these notes."  
  
Biting the inside of cheek, Marinette tried to let her nervous energy out through bouncing her leg as she nodded. Pulling a pencil back out of her bag, Marinette inclined her head for Alya to ask the questions. Clumsily hitting her wrist on the edge of the table, pain shot up Marinette's arm, earning a hiss. On instinct, she rolled her sleeve up and and held the bruises gently.  
  
Alya looked over to Marinette in question.  
  
Shit. She'd been so focused on the actual _pain_  that she was in pain that she forgot about the _hiding_  of the pain.  
  
"Marinette what the fuck is that."  
  
Alya had snapped her attention to Marinette's wrist, her friend pulling her sleeve as far down as she could quickly to somehow avoid the conversation. _Shitshitfuckmeshit Marinette you idiot shitshitshit_. Strings of curses filled the entirety of her thoughts.  
  
"....it's nothing," Marinette squeaked. Yelping as Alya grabbed her arm and pulled Marinette's sleeve up, (earning another squeak from Marinette with the rough handling) Alya's face had fallen into a concerned frown. Marinette held her breath as Alya's frowned deepened as she gently rotated her wrist.  
  
This was bad. Very bad. How would she hide that? How would she cover _those_  up now that Alya had seen them.  
  
"Marinette I swear to god, if you lie to me...what are these?" Alya snapped her gaze up to Marinette's, eyes full of concern. Alya let go of her wrist, but didn't move any further.  
  
Marinette sucked in a breath, pulling her sleeve back down and holding her arms close to her body. Biting the inside of her cheek, Marinette contemplated what she could possibly say.  
  
"Its..uh...sewing accident- or, uh- whatever? Uhm. I don't- It's not- Alya I swear it's nothing- I just, uh, I was tired and fell down the stairs last night, uh-"  
  
"You weren't helping Adrien study." It wasn't a question.  
  
Marinette looked up at Alya's intense gaze. Her eyes were wide, full of disbelief as she shook her head slowly. Marinette grimaced, averting her gaze away from Alya's.  
  
"Alya, like I said, I was helping him study and uhm, afterwords, it was super late, and I- uh, I fell down the stairs. I swear, Alya, I just fell and hit my arm-"  
  
The bell rang. Students quickly filed out of the room for lunch, tension somehow filling the space as Marinette found herself alone in it with Alya Even the teacher had left for lunch.  
  
"I'm not an idiot, Mari, I know what bruises look like and I know for a fact that those...those are not from _stairs_ -"  
  
"A-Alya-"  
  
"-And...did Adrien do this? Is that why this morning _both_ of you looked like shit?" Alya pried. Marinette felt her chest closing up. She couldn't do this. She didn't know what to say- what could she say? She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, with Alya's quick words, "Mari, you have to tell me what happened, you need to tell me exactly what these are and _what he fucking did to you_ -"  
  
"No!" Marinette cried. Tears burned at the backs of her eyes. Standing up and grabbing her bag, she stepped away from Alya. "This- This has nothing t-to do with A-Adrien! A-and it's not important, okay? It has _nothing_  to do with _you_ , either, s-so stop asking! Please!"  
  
Alya stood up, now taller than Marinette. "Marinette, you are my best friend, and I care and love for you as I would my own _sister_. You need to-"  
  
"I don't need to do _anything_ for you, Alya. l-I- Actually? I _need_ to go," Marinette said. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she let her feet start moving as she shakily turned to run out. To get out as fast as she could.  
  
School was a bad idea. She should've been more careful. She should've tried harder.  
  
Stumbling and tripping out of her own clumsy tendencies, now dominated by her running emotions, she felt her arms be caught.  
  
Looking up, she noticed Nino, heading towards the commons, probably. To meet with her. Shit. He couldn't know. No one could know. This was so bad. Everything was so overwhelming, so bad-  
  
"Woah, woah," Nino said, "Marinette, you okay?" Marinette sniffled, trying to straighten her wobbly legs. Meeting her gaze with Nino's concerned one, the feeling of fear swelled up and washed over her. Fear. So much fear. Of everyone, everything. He would know. Adrien wasn't okay. Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth. She was a mess. Her life was a mess. The whole _world_  was a mess.  
  
A sob broke out of her as she pulled away from Nino, bolting towards the door. She didn't stop until she found herself in her room, her parents conveniently out making deliveries today.  
  
She'd call it a sick day.

-  
With third period over, Adrien Agreste simply kept going through the motions. He'd _hoped_ that school would be a good way to clear hsi mind, and he'd _hoped_ he covered everything of last night up enough, but the truth was, he didn't really try. He didn't care. None of it mattered. What did it matter what ever thought? Let his make up artists and Natalie deal with all of his material problems. He'd had enough nonmaterial ones to deal with. He doubted anyone would care. Clearly, no one had noticed. No one cared enough to notice. Or say anything. To him, at least. He'd been used to whispers and looks at him all his life, so it was hard to decipher which ones meant what emotion with his mind in a different place. He never noticed them anymore.

Plagg stayed silent as well.

Stepping out of his AP economics class, Adrien heard a sob and noticed Marinette running towards the doors of the school. Within a few moments, she was gone. People shook the instant off. People had outbursts all the time in Lycee. That was just how teenagers were.

Apparently.

That's how Adrien was treated last night. This morning. Just another outburst. It wasn't like his entire life had fallen apart. It wasn't like the girl he'd loved, the only one he'd entrusted his entire being to, had treated it like an outburst, and tried to manipulate that.

He sighed. Marinette was nice, Marinette was kind, Marinette was one of his best freinds, and one of the best people he could be around. Maybe she didn't care about him, but that didn't change that he cared about her.

It stung even as he thought it, but he couldn't deny that it was true. She didn't care, as shown by this morning, when she didn't seem to notice and just seemed tired and angry, all wrapped up in whatever stupid gossip Alya got into today.

Seemed like his father thought that too. Adrien knew he wasn't as important as his mother, he always knew that, but now it seemed more real. It seemed like it was heavier.

Now that he could get her back.

He stepped towards Nino, trying to shake away the thoughts that would eventually spiral down to the usual devasting direction. He needed to focus on something else now. He would worry about everything else when he had to.

"What's up with Marinette?" Adrien asked as Nino walked up to him. Adrien nearly grimaced at his own words. He didn't mean to sound so insensitive.

Nino didn't pick up on it. "Dude, I don't know. She was all upset and she tripped and when I asked if she was okay....she just ran," He explained. "I feel like chasing after her, because I want to be a good friend and all, but I also feel like this is a really personal thing. I don't want to push on it-"

" _Adrien_."

Adrien startled at the sudden snap if his name. Alya stalked down the hallway towards Adrien, her eyes a knife slicing through him.

"H-hey, Al-"

The slap didn't hurt, not really, he'd felt much worse pain during an Akuma battle, but he hadn't expected it. His heart suddenly beat faster, tears started forming in his eyes, he was confused. He slowly turned his head back to Alya, raising his gaze to meet hers. He felt his hand rise to his cheek, to somehow assess the damage, to see if he could form a thought that meant something.

"Alya what the hell-" Nino tried to grab a heaving, wild Alya. Her eyes continued burning a hole through him. She struggled undee Nino's grip, clawing to get to Adrien again.

"I know what you did! I know who you _really_  are now, and I know that you don't deserve _anything_ she felt for you! You don't deserve anything ever even _given_  to you! You s _ick bastard-_ you thoight she wouldn't tell anyone, did you? Did pretty-perfect-model-boy think he could keep it a secret? She wouldn't even  _tell me_ -"

"Stand the _fuc_ _k_ down, Alya!" Nino held Alya against his chest, trying to calm her down. Alya still struggled, trying to regain some control.

"You're a disgusting piece of shit!" She shot at Adrien. "You are a _wful_ , so awful, and you've _h_ _urt_ her, you asshole! You are _sick_ and -Let- _L_ _et me go-"_

It somehow broke another bead of hope that formed. A bead of hope Adrien didn't even know existed. It didn't make sense. What did she know? How could she know? She was making fun of him. It was probably hilarious to see the see the sad, shy boy who modeled to feel confused.

There it was. It probably _so_  amusing to finally see the pretty boy cry. As Adrien stepped back from the scene, tears pooled down his face. He couldn't think. So many spiraling thoughts plagued his mind.

No. She wasnt making fun of him. Alya was visually angry, Alya knows everything.

_She knows. She knows everything. And she's right. Both your mother and Ladybug hate you. You don't deserve either of them._

_Stop crying. Pretty boys don't cry._

"Don't deny it, Adrien, you fucking pretty-faced liar! You're just as disgusting as everyone else- You're worse!" Alya called. "I hope you know! I hope you know how _awful_ you are, and I hope you step up and admit to  _everyone_ what you did."

 _If you start running, maybe she won't chase after you. You aren't worth being chased after._  

Adrien let his feet carry him slowly towards the doors. People were crowding around them now. It was a scene. It didn't make sense.

_They all know it too. They all know that you're a traitorous and disgusting boy. That you won't protect them. You useless prick._

_Sick bastard._

Words kept building up. Maybe him and Marinette were the same, in some ways.

_Hawkmoth would never even accept you to help him get the miraculous, you're so useless._

_You were never worth it_. He was outside, but he kept running. He couldn't stop.

_Ladybug was smart to use your emotions. It was the only thing you were good for._

Adrien couldn't breathe. Everything seemed to blur. He couldn't feel his body, he couldn't tell if he was sobbing or coughing or what was happening. An alley. A cold alley. Behind a dumpster. There. In the dark. The dark could save him, maybe. The thoughts kept pounding out. He still didn't know where he was. Where was this alley, how far had he gotten? The questions were overshadowed. He felt like he was dying, he was dead, he was losing himself. Panic kept building up, building up, denser and darker and deeper he felt. He curled up into a fetal position, sobbing still.

_Your father would scoff to see you like this._

_Ladybug would too._

_Sick bastard._

_Disgusting piece of shit._

_Awful, so awful._

_Sick bastard_.

He couldn't even scream. Alya was right, he didn't deserve anyone, anything. Not after what he said yo ladybug, not after what he knew he had to do. They all knew it too.

It felt like forever, it felt like less than a second, it wouldn't stop, it started too fast...

"Adrien, look at me, Adrien, hey!" A voice crowded his thoughts. Narrowly opening his eyes, Adrien saw his Kwami.

_You especially don't deserve Plagg._

With another sob, Adrien squeezed his eyes shut again. "I'm so sorry, everything is _my fault_ and I-"

"Calm down, Kid, it's okay," Plagg said, "It's alright. You're alright, I'm alright, everything will be okay, okay? Shh, it's okay, you're alright..." Plagg trailed off with his unusually comforting words. With his breathing slowly stabilizing, Adrien started blinking away his tears. A clear head. He needed a clear head.

Sniffling, Adrien looked at the small black being. He lifted his head from his knees to lean it back against the dumpster he'd rested behind. He wiped his eyes with the palm of his hand. He didn't know what to say.

"It's okay, Adrien, I get it."

Adrien swiped at his nose with his forearm, trying to stop the trembling in his limbs. "I j-just...Alya knows- or- wh-what was- " Words tumbled out of his mouth, his voice breaking with each one. Thoughts started forming, luckily ones that were stable. He observed his surroundings, trying to keep those stable thoughts.

"Adrien, Alya probably doesn't know anything," Plagg said, "Everything that came out of her mouth was untrue, uncalled for, and she has no idea what she's talking about. _We_  have no idea what she's talking about, so no one does either," He explained.

"Wasn't it the-"

"No, Adrien, you know it's not that."

"Then what was it?"

"Something probably related to Marinette, since she ran off crying right before."

"What will the students say?"

"That doesn't matter."

"What happened...to me?"

"I believe the term is 'Panic Attack,'" Plagg replied. Adrien attempted to laugh. It came out weak, short, and disheartened, but he made an attempt. It was okay now. Plagg made it okay. Plagg seemed so calm, he seemed so...he just seemed so _okay_  with it. And that made it okay.

Sighing, Adrien let his head fall forward. He furrowed his brow, full thoughts formed now that he could breathe. "What she said was true."

"Absolutely not," Plagg countered.

"Yes, it was true-"

"Adrien, listen," Plagg started, "I'm not going to waste my time trying to convince you that it wasn't true. By the laws of whatever shit-eating being that created me, I am your slave and do whatever you tell me. You commanded that I talk when deemed necessary and I deem that uneccessary. However, it is necessary for me to say that _it's going to be okay._

 "I can't stop you from doing whatever stupid shit that you want to do, but I can certainly try, and let me tell you that thinking about her words is completely idiotic and will drag you down a path that I assure you do not want to go. A path that _I_ don't want you to go. You've made your decision about one thing, I know that, and I can't change that, I don't want to, but for right now if you do everything else as your _t_ _rue, sober, deep routed self,_  then it's going to be okay. You've been running on pure emotion for the past..oh, what, eighteen hours? I'm sure you're exhausted and need to clear your head up.

"You are a very capable, intelligent, and trustworthy boy who I know has good intentions deep down. You are a good person, Adrien, don't throw that away because Alya doesn't know what she's talking about. Do not throw everything you could be working towards away for that. For anything. You are the _best_ Chat Noir I've ever had, and I care about _you_. Fuck the citizens, I care about _y_ _ou_  and right now I need you to do what you feel is the best thing. I need you to calm down, clear your head, and _then_ decide what to do. Do what you need to do to be okay." Plagg pursed his lips and contemplated something, but then nodded and flew to rest atop Adrien's knee, nodding once to signal he was finished speaking.

Adrien let his Kwami's words sink in. He let them fill his mind, and he contemplated them. Plagg was right, he was in a bad, exhausted place and he just needed to clear his head right now. He'd gone through a fuck ton of emotional shit this past day and he needed to just...stop. Truly stop the emotional ride he wouldn't leave. He couldn't go home, where the emotion was overwhelming to a point of mind-numbing, and he could go back to school where...he couldn't go back to right now.

Adrien bit the inside of his cheek as he considered. He needed to talk to someone. He didn't exavtly want to talk to Plagg, and he needed someone who...who was _always_  one of the most empathetic people. Someone who, besides Ladybug, he felt like he could be his entire self with. Someone who never judged him, yet offered wise and helpful feedback.

She seemed upset anyway, he was sure they could get through whatever if they were together. He needed someone right now. A friend. Someone who was different, wildly different than everyone else. In such a kind way. Maybe she didn't care, but at least he could be himself.

He just needed a very good friend right now.

"Plagg, claws out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy damn. Well, I would really appreciate feedback on this chapter, and hope you guys keep reading. Thanks and see you next chapter....;)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A break from angst because fluff is needed in these dark times, with adorable vibes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO SORRY it took so long to finish this. It was a pretty long chapter, and kind of difficult to finish since I've been so busy. I hope it was worth the wait since it was rather hard to write with the length as well as the fact that, tbh, it's easier and a bit more fun to write angst than fluff for me. Anyway, enjoy the fluff while you can!

 

Curled up in a ball under her blankets, Marinette still didn't want to move.   
  
How long had she been under them? How long had Tikki simply decided to be quiet, and let Marinette sort through all of her thoughts, fully?   
  
She wanted to be angry about it all, she wanted to have time to fully react to Adrien being Chat Noir, to Hawkmoth being Gabriel, to the problems developed, to Alya knowing about the bruises, Alya's likely remorse to Adrien...to...to her affection towards him.   
  
She wanted to be angry, she wanted to think about it, former a plan, but...her mind wandered somewhere else. She got home from school and ended up in bed. She sobbed herself to sleep but when she woke up it had only been twenty minutes. Marinette didn't want to think about any of it anymore. It was hard, it was confusing, and she just wanted to forget it all.   
  
But she didn't want to move either.   
  
She was safe under these blankets. Nothing could hurt her. Nothing could come to destroy her sense of quiet peace under the dark and quiet of the blankets.   
  
She tapped and touched and pawed at her bruises though. She couldn't see them in the dark, but she felt them. It was almost a comfort. That she was real, her body was real, everything was real, and yet she would be okay. Her bruises would heal just as her relationship with Adrien would. She would just mend it. Like a torn seam.    
  
She'd mended clothes all the time. It would be just as easy, right?   
  
"Marinette, you should really eat." Tikki's muffled voice startled Marinette. She pulled the blanket off from over her head as she peered up at Tikki.   
  
"I'm not hungry."   
  
"And you don't seem to be a whole lot else, either, so I suggest you eat. You haven't eaten all day. It'll help you think better," Tikki explained. Marinette pursed her lips, shaking her head.   
  
"I don't want to eat. I want to stay here."   
  
"Well you need to do  _ something _ , Marinette, and you need to figure out what you'll say if your parents come up here. You weren't at school all afternoon..."   
  
"I'll call it a sick day, Tikki. And me being in bed would only make sense," Marinette replied. Tikki huffed, lowering down onto Marinette's pillow.   
  
"Well..I still think you need to get up," Tikki said. "You can't stay here forever."   
  
Marinette sighed, nodding her head once. "Well...what could I do?"    
  
Tikki shook her head. "I don't know, Marinette. Make some clothes, draw and design stuff, maybe...explore the streets as Ladybug, or just sit atop your balcony. I don't really care, I just don't want you here, sulking, because I know that you won't ever stop," the Kwami explained. The edges of Marinette's lips curled up.   
  
"You know me so well," Marinette said. Turning over to lay on her back, she watched her ceiling. She still had a few posters of Adrien up that she never took down. Posters of Jagged Stone, posters of favorite clothing designs, various shows...and more Adrien.   
  
Marinette decided that she wanted to look at the sky, the city. She didn't want to stare at old posters she obtained when she was thirteen and never took down.   
  
Sitting up, Marinette said, "Okay. Well, I'll at least go up to my balcony. Up their I can just people-watch my problems away."   
  
Throwing aside her covers, Marinette climbed down one ladder only to step up another, heading to her balcony. She could clear her head, maybe the fresh air would be good. Tikki was right. Getting the blood flowing in her veins already seemed better.   
  
Closing the trapdoor behind her, leaving Tikki in the room, Marinette turned.   
  
And saw a certain kitten sleeping in her lawnchair.   
  
Marinette froze, unsure of what she had in front of her. 

  
Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste, a very broken and obviously  _ tired  _ boy had been sleeping in her lawnchair.    
  
How long had he been there? Clearly, a while, since he fell asleep. And it seemed like a pretty deep sleep too.    
  
Stepping once towards Chat, Marinette bit the inside of her cheek. Okay, so he was sleeping in her lawnchair. This wasn't the first time he'd appeared on her balcony. This had happened before, it just, in this moment? It didn't make sense-   
  
_ He doesn't know. Remember that. He doesn't know.  _ Marinette let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. He was obviously a bit better now, at least while he was peacefully unconscious, and she realized she was better too. She'd cleared her mind, she'd been ready to just watch people being people...and she could still do that.   
  
She could watch a boy being a boy.   
  
A boy...A man? He certainly had the body of one. Sitting down cross-legged next to lawn chair, Marinette just watched Chat Noir sleep. He had the body of man, a very grown-up, very toned,  _ very sexy- _   
  
Marinette stifled a cough at her own thoughts. She should stop staring at his pecs, his abs, his v-line starting just above his low riding belt...   
  
_ Stop it. _ __  
__  
Marinette took a deep breath and decided to focus on Chat's face instead of his skin tight suit, hating the burn she felt in her cheeks.    
  
He was peaceful, yet he seemed so tired even in sleep. There were dark bags under his eyes, even the mask couldn't cover that up, and his body sagged in a way that meant that he really needed the sleep. It was probably so deep because he had deprived himself of it, not to mention the crazy things his body is put through on a daily basis due to modeling. And being Adrien Agreste, with his crazy busy schedule. And staying up until three every night saving Paris, and the actual  _ fighting _ , and, and, and....   
  
_ He's so amazing. How does he do it? Poor Chaton, I should've been better...I should've been better. _   
  
Marinette frowned sadly at him. He was still so young, only seventeen, turning eighteen in a few months. What had she done to this beautiful boy?   
  
Without even thinking, her hand flew up to brush through his locks, to pet him as she would any innocent, sleeping little kitty-cat.   
  
Chat inhaled and violently jolted awake at her touch, his ears twitching. His eyes shot open as he clawed for something to grab onto, something to help him orient himself.    
  
Noticing Marinette, he quickly recovered, his surroundings finally seeming to come together. The girl let a quiet laugh escape her lips.   
  
Chat sighed, shaking his head slowly, his hands rising to his face to rub his eyes.   
  
"O-oh god-  _ W-what time is it _ ?" Chat whispered, scrubbing at his face. Marinette's smile faulted at the sight of him so confused.   
  
"I'm..I-I'm not entirely sure, but...uh, judging by the light, I'm going to have to say somewhere around six or seven in the evening," Marinette answered. Chat stopped his movements and turned his head towards her, watching her, contemplating her.    
  
"Why did you come here, Chaton?" She heard herself whisper.   
  
His cheeks suddenly growing pink, Chat tensed. His slitted eyes flicked in all directions, as if he was searching for the answer.    
  
"Uh, I just....I-I uhm...I needed...I'm n-not-"   
  
Marinette held up her hand as she tried to keep her smile hidden.  _ He's so adorable when he's nervous. Why didn't you notice that before?  _ Chat clamped his mouth shut as his eyes grew sad and tired again.   
__  
_ He's here because he needs someone to find comfort in. _   
  
"It's okay, you don't have to answer that," Marinette said. Chat's shoulders seemed to lower at her words. "But...you..." Marinette tried to find words without seeming suspicious. "A-are you okay?"   
__  
_ Ah. Yes. 'Are you okay.' Wonderful way to sound sincere and start something with a grieving boy, idiot. He totally knows you know- _   
  
"Uhm, ac-actually...no," Chat suddenly answered  after a hesitant pause. Marinette tuned her full attention away from her thoughts and back to Chat, surprised to hear him admit it.   
  
Marinette bit the inside of her cheek before responding, trying to cover up any guilt that may have spilled over from building up throughout the day.   
  
"Do you...want to talk? A-about it?" Marinette asked softly, lifting her gaze to meet Chat's. He lowered his to the ground and took a deep breath, before shaking his head.   
  
Raising his gaze back up, he said, "I think talking about it will just....make it worse somehow. I don't know that for sure, but I just have a feeling that it'll...it'll just make me have to work through those emotions again and again when... I really just want to forget them."   
  
Marinette nodded in understanding, leaning on one hand rested next to her. She tried to ignore the ache still pulsing in her wrists...   
  
"Well," Marinette said, "you don't have to talk unless you want to. But you can always find comfort here in any way you want."   
  
Head perking up, Chat nodded, before growing quiet.   
  
The silence seemed to be drawn out between them. There was so much left unsaid, here, so much that Marinette knew he wanted to tell her, and so much that she wanted to tell him, but it was just such a bad time...   
  
Sighing, Marinette decided to ask "May I?" As she bit her lip, raising her hand above his head again in silent question to continue with her plan to run her hands through his hair, as she was previously interrupted from.   
  
His mouth opened in surprise, his brow furrowed. "R-really?"    
  
Her only reply was the raise if her eyebrows.    
  
With the corners of his mouth tipping up, Chat tipped his head forward, into her open palm, and let her fingers dance through his hair. They scratched behind his ears, stroked them, ran through every thick strand, massaged his scalp...she comforted him in a way, she realized, that they could both always appreciate.   
  
A soft rumbling noise started faintly in Chat's throat.   
  
-   
  
It was glorious.   
  
This feeling, the beautiful, glorious feeling. Soft fingers found and stroked all of the right places that made him want to fall back asleep.    
  
It was beautiful, he loved it. He had no idea why she did it, but all that mattered was that she  _ did. _   
  
He let out a long, deep sigh as all of the disorienting, hateful feelings of the world dissolved. He didn't want to talk, he just needed a very good friend, and it seemed that he chose  _ wisely.  _ A soft rumble started in his chest, then rose to his throat in an instinctive and soothing way. He thought he heard the sound of a motorcycle or loud truck waiting down below in the street….   
  
With the sudden pause of the fingers in his hair, Chat realized with mortification that the sound was coming from  _ him. _   
  
He was  _ purring. _   
  
Wincing and retreating back from her fingers, Chat felt his cheeks burn as well as the backs of his eyes.   
  
He didn't want that. Oh god. What would she think?  _ Jesus Christ.  _ That had never happened before. It was creepy. And weird. Very,  _ very  _ weird.  _ How  _ did he even do that?  _ Why now? _ It was so wrong. Everything he did was  _ wrong.  _ He was such and the useless failure he didn't even understand all the workings of his own body-   
  
"Ch-chat? Chat, hey,  _ hey _ , oh god, calm down, I'm sorry.." Marinette trailed off, pulling her hand immediately away. He tensed up again and squeezed his eyes shut. Everything was moving too fast again-   
  
"Chat?" She whispered.    
  
Chat relaxed his shoulders and shifted to sit crossed legged in the chair, sighing again. Opening his eyes, he looked at Marinette's kind face. He large blue eyes stared at him, stared  _ into him, _ with so much worry, so much concern.   
  
Chat felt his face break out into a smile.   
  
She cared a little bit.   
  
He guessed he really did choose wisely in good friends.   
  
Watching his every move, Marinette held her breath, letting his hands move to grab hers and guide them back to his hair.   
  
"Chat...?"   
  
He looked into her deep ocean of a gaze and nodded once. "I'm sorry for freaking out, Mari. It's just...that's never happened before. It felt...it was really...I-I just didn't know. And I..."   
  
Understanding bloomed across Marinette's face. "Oh. Yeah. That would be weird." Letting out a giggle, Marinette looked up to where he still held her hands. "So...do you...want me to-"   
  
"...please?"   
  
Letting his hands fall to his lap, Chat held his breath and waited for her hands to start again. This time they were slower, careful. The action seemed so intimate, now that he really thought about it. It was oddly intimate and comforting, the way she stroked his scalp. It was even more so since now it was slow, methodical, much more thought out and seemed so full of care.   
  
And it just felt so __ good.

 

He wasn't afraid of the growing vibrations in his throat this time. He wasn't afraid of  _ her _ .   
  
Again, it grew louder. It was sudden, but everything about this moment seemed so  _ right _ . He pushed his head into her hands, lifting it in certain directions and turning it in others on instinct to let her hands touch everything. His body pushed forward, closer, until he found himself crawling off the lawn chair to get his head, him _ self, _ closer to her.   
  
"...Ch-chat?" He heard her squeak. Opening his eyes, mortification, although less than before, boiled inside him again. He had his face buried into Marinette's stomach (well, closer to her breasts). Her back was against the brick wall and her legs extended out as he practically lay on top of her.   
  
Blinking away most of the almost euphoric state he found himself in, Chat leaned back slowly...although he wasn't quite out of her lap yet. He didn't look away from her either. Marinette's blue eyes conveyed so many emotions that he couldn't even begin to process what they meant. He just watched with wide eyes as she watched his, her hands still lingering in his hair, his face burning.   
  
Her cheeks seemed a little pink as well.   
  
He didn't  _ want _ to take his eyes away from her beautiful ones. She had always been so kind...this was so kind of her...   
  
It couldn't be real. He wouldn't let himself hope for any of this to be real.   
  
After a long moment he wished could last forever, he painfully tore his gaze from hers and looked to the ground beside them, pulling back fully.   
  
"S-sorry," He whispered, shifting to sit cross-legged across from her. He looked up to see Marinette biting her lip, still watching him. After a moment, her mouth formed a small smile.    
  
"To be honest, I think that was...kind of cool. In an....adorable? Adorable way," She said.   
  
"Adorable?"   
  
"Well, maybe to keep your ego as high as it was the last time I talked to you, we'll say sexy-adorable."   
  
"Sexy-adorable," Chat said, "You called me sexy-"   
  
"Shut up," She interrupted. "Anyway, I also said it was cool. Because it is. That you can purr like a little kitten."   
  
Chat feigned offense and hit his palm against his chest. "Ah!  _ Me-owch _ ! She called me a  _ little kitten _ ! There it goes! My poor, poor ego you tried so hard to keep up!" Chat dramatically fell over, rolling onto his side. "Marinette, why must you hurt me this way!"    
  
Marinette giggled and feigned rising emotions. She shifted and buried her face into her hands. "Oh! Oh, Chat! How could I have done something so diabolical! Your poor ego will  _ never  _ recover!" Marinette covered a laugh with a sob.   
  
Chat laughed with her. There was a bubbly feeling inside him, with Marinette laughing and happy, seeming so much better than this morning.  _ He  _ felt better, just to hear it. That he could make her happy like that.   
  
Lifting his torso up, Chat cocked his head to the side, trying to tone down his laughter.    
  
"Ok, ok, I think you get it, I'm a narcissistic asshole, here."   
  
"Oh,  _ certainly n- _ "   
  
" _ -so _ , I bet if we went somewhere  _ else  _ at least I wouldn't be an asshole  _ here _ , on your oh-so-simply-innocent balcony," He suggested. Marinette cocked her head to mirror Chat's.   
  
"Are you suggesting that my balcony boring?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Chat only shrugged.   
  
"Not exactly... but there's a place I want to show you, that I enjoy just...being there, and hanging around," He said. Marinette contemplated the proposal for a minute, before nodding. In one swift movement, Chat stood up and held out his hand.   
  
Chat felt like he was offering more than his hand, then. He felt like he was offering a world, a whole new one, for them. He felt like he was offering himself, in a way.   
  
But Marinette smiled and took it, as if it was the easiest decision in the world, as if she was ready for everything he brought.   
  
Chat wrapped an arm around her for support and held out his staff. Giving a nod in signal that he could start vaulting across Paris to the mysterious location.   
  
"Hold on tight, Princess," He whispered into her ear. Suddenly he slammed his staff against the edge of the balcony and began extending it, the movement fast and fluid as they quickly ascended to a high enough point for Chat to direct it in a direction of falling. It was more difficult to control, and harder the leap and control the staff with one hand as he held Marinette in the other, but it wasn't impossible. He simply paid more attention.   
  
Falling into a rhythm of motion, Chat snuck a glance at Marinette, who's face reflected a look of awe- but mostly fear. There was fear in her face.    
  
Very real fear and anxiety. A lot of it.    
  
_ He didn't intend that for her. That's not where he wanted this to go. It was his fault, he caused those dark feelings- _

 

Chat took in a sharp breath and turned his head forward. He couldn’t think like that. Marinette was just a civilian. She wouldn’t blame him for that.

 

Noticing the small, black, essentially  _ shed _ , that signaled the entrance to the sight he planned t take Marinette, Chat thanked whatever gods existed for the distraction of his thoughts.

 

-   
  
In costume, with super healing, super strength, heightened senses, and heightened instincts, Marinette felt unstoppable. She felt like she could take on anything that came her way, and she did.   
  
She hadn't realized how much of that confidence and surety was lost when the red and black spandex disappeared, at least when it came to vaulting across rooftops. Her  _ life  _ was in Chat Noir's arms.    
  
She trusted him, he knew what he was doing,  _ she  _ knew that. But the pit inside her stomach only kept growing. She had no miraculous powers here. If he slipped up, if the slight of his hand meant his staff missing a rooftop edge, she wouldn't be able to save Chat, and  _ especially not herself. _   
  
At first, when the anxiety started as small butterflies in her stomach at the sudden jump across a rooftop, Marinette simply laughed and tried to school her features into pure amusement. However, as the seconds ticked on with each new near-miss of his staff, the the fall Chat seemed to tease her with, panic inside of her only grew until she could not hide it anymore. This was real. There was no magic here.  _ There was no magic yo-yo. _ And she couldn't breathe up here. In the air. She couldn't think.   
  
_ There was no magic yo-yo. _   
  
Suddenly, she felt Chat's face turn towards her, and her stomach churn even more as he frowned and looked straight forward, curtly. And wasn’t pre-releasing his staff as the roof of the building edge loomed closer, like he did with the others.

 

“Chat-”

 

“Princess?” He whispered into her ear as the roof suddenly stopped. Marinette gasped and felt her stomach violently flip as he jumped. Finally, at the last second, Chat released his staff with the push of a button, and his feet gracefully met the ground in front of a small black building, much to Marinette’s gratitude.

 

Letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, Marinette let her feet touch the sweet,  _ sweet _ cobblestone. This. This was her magic yo-yo. It  _ had _ to be-

 

“Mari?” Chat said, interrupting her thoughts. Opening her eyes, Marinette realized her arms were still tightly wrapped around Chat, hands fisted as tightly as possible into the rare folds of his suit. Relaxing her muscles, she let her arms fall to her sides and she stepped back, flushing.

 

“Sorry, I-I was just-” Marinette stuttered, trying to gather her thoughts. Chat just chuckled, leaning onto his staff.

 

“Never been taken roof-hopping before?” Chat led. Marinette took a deep breath and nodded, gaining composure. 

 

“Yeah, something like that,” She murmured. And then she realized what had just happened.  _ She didn't trust her partner _ . What was that? She pushed te thought away. Smiling, she turned towards the small black building the stood in front of. Noticing the writing and strings around the locked doors, Marinette gasped as she realized the location.

 

“This is the entrance to the catacombs!” She exclaimed. With a click, Chat’s staff was small and compact enough to where he subconsciously juggled it between hands, turning towards the entrance.

 

“Yup. The Catacombs. Always a fun destination for spontaneous fun,” He explained, turning his head to wink at Marinette. She snorted, shaking her head.

 

“Spontaneous fun, huh? What's so fun about the Catacombs? It's just a bunch of dead people put into walls. That's just creepy and weird,” She said. Chat paused, turning to Marinette, contemplating.

 

“...You've never been inside, and you know nothing about them, do you?” Chat mused. Marinette felt her cheeks burn, and rolled her eyes.

 

“Pfft, well, I mean...is that really relevant?” She crossed her arms, looking straight ahead at the doors. Chat laughed, crossing his own arms as well.

 

“Ha! You've never been! And you know nothing about them!” He exclaimed. “Oh, how surprising, a native Parisian, who hasn't been!” He walked over behind Marinette, leaning over her shoulder. “The first time is always the most memorable,” He whispered in her ear suddenly. Flinching, her cheeks burned.

 

“Psh! Get away!” She cried, half laughing as she pushed his face away from hers. “And hey, and I doubt you've been either. Most of the people I know haven't!” Marinette said. Charles straightening, shrugging. Walking slowly forward, he turned his head lazily to the side, at her.

 

“Maybe not-”

 

“Aha-”

 

“-But that's partially why I brought you here tonight,” Chat said. Stopping, he brought out his staff from its holster again, never taking his eyes off of Marinette. He leaned against the unremarkable black doors, fidgeting with his staff.

 

“And? I'm intrigued, keep explaining,” Marinette prodded. 

 

“I didn't have a plan, however, for reasons I cannot disclose, I recently learned a great many things about historical site of Paris, including this one. And I thought that exploring and disrespecting a maze of caves of dead men would be an absolutely perfect date night,” Chat explained, raising his shoulders at the end. Marinette chuckled.

 

“Perfect date night, hmm? Seems legit,” She said. Stepping forward, she began inspecting the small building, slanted in the back. Just behind the doors were stairs, she knew. “How much do you know?” She asked. Chat smiled down at her as he began fidgeting with detachable object  he took from his staff.

 

“Uhm, a pretty extensive amount, I would say. My f- my parents get super crazy about memorizing certain things. I don't want to explain any of it unless you want to hear it, though. I don't want to bore you to sleep with history facts about how certain Parisian did this with this other group of people and methods which led to death and other instances and what-not,” Chat explained. 

 

Suddenly, the black doors opened in front of Marinette, and in the low light of the street lamps, the staircase leading down to the tunnels was like a dark, endless void. As she heard a click and shutting of a compartment, she realized Chat had been storing lock-picking items like Bobby-pins and other trinkets within his staff. As he placed it back into its holster, she raised her gaze to Chat’s for a moment.

 

She didn't know if she  _ wanted _ to go down there.

 

Chat only smiled at her encouragingly. “We don't have to go down if you don’t want to, Princess. But I personally think that it'll be fun no matter what happens. I always have a GPS with me, in my staff, so we're always safe to go back,” He explained. Marinette bit the inside of cheek as she nodded. Taking her by the hand, Chat stepped forward and began leading her down the steps. He could see into the dark, so he’d have to lead her.

 

“So, history or no history?” Chat whispered into her ear, closer than she remembered him being. Marinette smiled nervously in the near darkness, hoping he didn't catch the way her breath caught.

 

“We can do whatever you want down here,” She whispered back. As he pulled back, she caught a glimpse of low light reflecting off of his fangs as he gave her a crooked smile. His eyes were glowing, too, and she caught him winking at her.

 

She hoped his heightened senses couldn't hear the way her heart was beating at a million miles per hour.

 

As he squeezed her hand, Chat began slowly pulling Marinette forward again. She realized that the staircase had multiple landings, and they would be going far deeper than she anticipated. Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, however all she could really make out was outlines of Chat’s face due to the green hue radiating around his slitted eyes. Marinette decided to only watch them, then, as he kept looking forward, looking back to her, as if to make sure she was still safe and alright.

 

As she smiled back at him in what she hoped was a reassuring way, she couldn't be sure.

 

She made out closed, tight tunnel walls near her as they reached the ground, finally, and his eyes skimmed over the long tunnel corridor. She could hear distant and eerie echoes of the world above them, or of various rodents and organisms living down in the tunnels.

 

“Did you know that these were established in 1810, and took around forty years to build, with over six million people buried here?” Chat said animatedly.

 

His voice echoed through the dark, and Marinette couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, and of being alone, of darkness closing in on her and Chat as he brought her forward. 

 

“...Because you know nothing about them, I bet you don't know that these were originally stone mines, and they kept collapsing...”

 

Being down here had a different way of making her feel anxious. The faded green hue of his eyes washing over the deep, empty faces of skulls and bones buried into the walls made the hair on Marinette’s arms stand up. Chat let his gaze waltz over all of them, strolling casually and lost in thought as if this was leisurely walk in the park…

 

“-it was actually created to fix the city's overflowing cemeteries, as well as the collapsing mines...”

 

..but to Marinette, this place was full of death, of old stories, of darkness and uncertainty, and the pit in her stomach grew as her thoughts wandered.

 

It was beautiful, but terrifying. Utterly terrifying.

 

Were those whispers? Were those just their footsteps, or someone else’s? The corridor seemed to go on forever. Chat’s GPS in his staff would never help them back- this place really  _ did _ lead to Hell, as people only joked about, didn't it-

 

“Princess?” Chat whispered to her suddenly. Marinette jumped at the sudden mention of her name, turning to Chat’s face. He chuckled and nodded his head down to his arm, where Marinette realized she was clinging to the point of digging her nails into it.

 

“Oh! O-oh, uh, s-sorry-” Marinette loosened her grip, but refused to let go. Not down here. She took a deep breath and noticed that they had stopped at a sudden fork in the road, with two tunnels extending left and right into darkness. Turning toward Marinette. She felt her face flush as she looked up and met Chat’s unwavering gaze. “I- uh, I, think I missed-”

 

“Shh, it's fine Mari,” He said softly. “Look...I can tell you're uncomfortable down here, and that wasn't my intention-”

 

“N-no-”

 

“-I find this place really interesting and I love the eerie feeling it's gives me, but...Marinette we can go back up and do something else-”

 

“ _ No _ ,” Marinette urged. Chat brought her down here because he enjoyed it, he planned to tell her all about this cool place, and she didn't want to ruin the content and deep thought he was clearly in just a moment ago. “Chaton...no, I'm fine. Let’s…go left?”

 

Chat’s face faltered into concern, before contemplation. After a moment of hesitation, Chat said, “Why don't we play and game?”

 

Marinette took in a sharp breath, before nodding and relaxing. That might actually help….

 

Chat’s face lit up and turned left, to prompt her to start walking forward with him. Marinette hesitantly took a step forward the darkness still looming...before Chat proposed the ‘game.’

 

“Alright then, Princessa, why not a...Quid Pro Quo? Or two?”

 

Marinette flicked her gaze up at his before turning back to the darkness ahead of her. Letting her lips pull into a smirk, or, what she hoped was a smirk, she nodded once.

 

“A-alright Kitty, but a Quid Pro Quo of what?” Marinette asked skeptically. Chat smirked again.

 

“Secrets. Or at least, answers. I ask one question, then you ask one of equal value. Fair game?”

 

Marinette’s smirk was genuine now. “My little Kitten is always scheming, isn't he?” She laughed, her nerves already fading...or at least turning to a different kind, with the idea of trading secrets in the dark with a boy like Chat Noir. “But, alright. Fair game.” Biting the inside of her cheek, Marinette turned her gaze to watch him. He then met hers, chuckling.

 

“Well, I am a gentleman, so let us start this game by my saying of  _ ladies first _ .”

 

Marinette sucked in a breath. She felt his hot breath in the close proximity, the firm look in his scheming eyes...she wouldn't give him satisfaction in this game. She would win, in whatever way he intended this game to find a winner out. God knows what kind of secret s could earn from him...

 

Stopping suddenly and turning to face Chat fully, she pursed her lips. Marinette waited for him to mirror her posture, crossing his arms, standing with his legs apart, confident.

 

“Here's a question, Kitty,” She said, turning to walk forward and ahead of him, into to the dark.. Pretending to inspect the bones of old, she waited, building anticipation. She couldn't feel his stare, his unwavering gaze burning holes into her back.  “Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate?”

 

Turning on her heal, Marinette watched as Chat cursed.

 

He sighed, following over to Marinette. “Well, I see someone doesn't want to play right…” He whispered, suddenly behind her. She turned quickly, pushing down the urge to startle and shove him away. Marinette laughed softly, waiting for him to answer her question. She felt him straighten, felt his hand drag down her arm as he turned to face him again. Only he was much closer. 

 

“You still have to answer the question, kitty-cat.”

 

Chat sighed, and stepped close enough for Marinette to feel his breath on her face. “Alright. I'll have you know that I enjoy dark. It's soft, and smooth, but not only is it perfectly sweet for  _ my _ taste, it also gives you that bitter finish that'll leave you wanting  _ more _ ,” Chat explained, never looking away. His breath was so close, the heat of his body radiating off of him, and his eyes...she couldn't look away from the intense glow of his eyes. The shape of them, framed by his mask…

 

“My turn,” He said. Suddenly, he raised a hand, and tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. Marinette’s heart began beating faster than before. Was it supposed to be beating that fast? She was sure it wasn't. 

 

“And what could possibly be worth so much?”  She whispered. 

 

“In time, Marinette. In time, I'll claw my way into your mind,” He whispered in her ear. And with that comment, they both fell into giggles and laughs. Chat pulled back, chuckling at the situation.

 

“You were  _ so _ into me right there, I mean,  _ wow, _ ” Chat laughed. Marinette nudged his side with her elbow.

 

“I was not!” She giggled. “I was just caught off guard!” Chat only  _ tsked _ and winked at her, walking forward again.

 

“Uh-huh, sure, you  _ definitely _ weren't gawking at my pretty eyes and my  _ oh-so sexy _ voice,” Chat winked. Marinette followed, and laughed with him. They fell into easy, simple chatter. Chat asked for a secret, just as she did, although still mild. They wandered through tunnels, walking through darkness, as Chat told her history, and kept asking her questions, while she responded with her own inquiries. They walked and walked and looped around the same ways for hours, and when Marinette complained of her tired feet, Chat found a corner for them both to crawl up together in.

 

Their game continued, Marinette’s head eventually falling into his shoulder, her body sagging into his comfortably. His hands raised to stroke her hair. They both felt calmer and more content with themselves than either of them had in ages. It felt right, to be here, with her kitty.  _ Why and she never noticed the way his body curved around hers perfectly? _

 

When her lids began to droopy the tug of sleep lulled Marinette, Chat pulled out his multipurpose staff, and checked the time. Marinette pursed her lips as his face fell into sad disappointment, his eyes narrowing at the time. “It can't be that late…” She murmured softly. Chat clicked the staff shut, turning his gaze to the ground. He grumbled something indecipherable and sighed.

 

Chat suddenly, however gently, pulled his arm out from where she rested her neck, never once meeting her gaze. She stirred, blinking fast and taking deep breaths.

 

“It's late enough,” He said firmly, “I'm sure your parents won't agree with late I've kept you. Let me just...let me take you  _ home _ . I'm sure you have chores to do tomorrow and friends to text to and-”

 

Marinette guffawed at the explanation. That was bullshit, and they both knew it. “Oh, please, they won't find out,” She chuckled, “You have _no_ _idea_ how late I stay out sometimes…” She wiggled her eyebrows at him, her tired attempt at a suggestive joke completely missing it's target. He only raised his gaze to hers, a frown plaguing his features. Her smile faltered, and she finally realized what was happening.

 

“Chat, stay,” She said, seriously this time.

 

“I-I can't, I have...things to do,” He said, lifting her by the arm as he stood. His face was solemn now, even as he attempted to cover it with a harsh mask, “And so do you.”

 

Marinette begged this time, “Chat, please, no! Stay and little longer! Look, I'm not scared anymore! I could stay here all night without you!” She frantically started shoving her face closely to the skulls, the depressing scent of dust wafting around her. She nervously smiled at it. “I doubt I'd even need your  _ pretty eyes _ to get me out! Let's stay-”

 

Chat put a hand on her shoulder, and she slowly straightened, her heart dropping. “Chat, at least stay with me at my house. Please. Don't go back to that ba-  _ don't go home.  _ It'll be a mistake-”

 

“Mistake?” Chat lifted a brow suspiciously. Marinette coughed.

 

“Er- uhm, it'll just, I just-” She frantically searched for an explanation. But he couldn't go. He couldn't go back. Surely, he would see his father, if he hadn't already. Adrien, _Chat_ _Noir_ , might _really_ change to do damage on Paris. 

 

Chat’s face softened, and he pulled her closer wrapping his arms around her, burying his nose into her hair. Marinette resisted squeaking, and immediately mirrored the embrace. _She would not get let her Chaton_ _leave her._

 

“I have to go, Marinette,” He whispered. “I made a choice tonight, one that there's no point in changing.”

 

_ I'm so sorry _ .

 

She could feel the words on his tongue. She remembered the pained gasp they were last night, as he ran away, choking on sobs.

 

She understood.

 

They, Chat Noir and Ladybug, Marinette and  _ Adrien _ , had been fighting for years. For so long. There was a solution here for him, one that could mean Adrien’s life would seem completed again. He missed his  _ mother _ . And Marinette knew that there was no changing his mind because of that. He was set. What could an irrelevant girl do to change a lonely boy?

 

_ She could still try, though _ . Tightening her grip around Chat, Marinette fought against the warm sting of tears in her eyes. Then, pulling back, she lifted a hand to cup his cheek. 

 

“There's always a choice,” She whispered. Chat left her gaze, his eyes fluttering close, and he leaned into her touch. There was so much longing in his face, so much guilt. It was as if he felt like he didn't deserve to be with her, as if he was indulging some sort of guilty pleasure when he was taking her affections.

 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, before Chat gently pulled her hand away from his face, but never let go as he led her down the halls back to the entrance in which they came. He didn't let go of it as he picked her up, his fingers always bursting against it, and he didn't let go as they landed on her balcony, streams of dawn staining the early morning sky.

 

Gently lowering her feet to a ground, Marinette wondered why she was so afraid at the beginning of the night. She hummed before Chat hesitantly started pulling his hand away-

 

She tightened her grip, refusing to let it go. They had said nothing the entire way from the entrance of the tunnels to her balcony, and she didn't know what to say now. He had clearly refused or at least ignored her commentary on  _ choices _ , but that didn't mean it was the end of everything she had once had with him, both as Marinette and as Ladybug.

 

Meeting his gaze, she tried to plead with her eyes. “Look, if you won't- i-if I just- w-when…” She stumbled on her words, trying to argue for his staying. When she couldn't find anything, she sighed, and asked, “Will you visit again tomorrow?”

 

Chat bit his lip, his long fangs poking out over it again. She loved that.  _ Why do you never notice the little things about him that are perfect? No,  _ purrfect _ , as he would specify. _ She smiled softly at the thought.

 

Chat hesitated for a moment before nodding, a crooked smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Without a word, he turned and headed off again.

 

As his fingers pulled away from hers, her heart skipped a beat, and she started feeling a small pain in her chest she only recognized as the familiar feeling of longing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH that was adorable for me- also, any feedback is appreciated :} I hope you guys enjoyed this and enjoyed it well. Angst is coming, be prepared. ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it took a turn for the worst at the end there ;)) I swear I didn't intend for Chat to go THAT batshit crazy upset, buttttttt....well, stay tuned. I really enjoyed writing this, so, I hope you guys enjoy reading it!


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